Hathor's Prayer
by soundofmadness223
Summary: Atem and Seth have managed to maintain their very secret and taboo relationship thus far, but after the kingdom is attacked by an enemy within, and social constraints arise, Atem and Seth's love is tested. Rated M for lemony and lime goodness!
1. Chapter 1

Hey. :)

So...I'm technically right in the middle of a Death Note fic, but my friend (tenspeed457) is really into Yu-Gi-Oh fics (which are really good, by the way, you should go check them out!), so I started getting into them, too. After reading hers, I started doing my research, since there's about three of every person, and ran across Seth and Atem, and absolutely FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM.

So here is that result, or part of it, I suppose. Forgive me for any historical inaccuracies; sometimes I took some writer's liberty with facts or about their lifestyle (such as high priest duties...they were actually allowed to marry). And forgive me, too, if they're a little OOC.

Also, I have flashbacks included, and those are in italics. Sorry if they're confusing; I did the best I could with them...

Andddd....this is YAOI. Like, guy on guy...please, if you don't like, then don't read.

One more thing, I swear! I COMPLETELY ignored the fact that Seth and Atem are cousins. That...weirds me out, so I just don't think about it.

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, unfortunately. I lament over that concerning Death Note, too...

And last but not least, thanks to tenspeed457 not only for beta-ing, but also for getting me into Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

Chapter one

_"Seth!" Atem squealed with delight as we ran through the palace, practically sliding along the marble floors. "Seth, I bet you can't catch me!"_

_I paused to catch my breath. Atem seemed to have almost endless amounts of energy. I watched as he slalomed through the ornate pillars that were spread about the palace, his laughter echoing through the uncharacteristically empty hall. _

_"Atem!" I called. I had been chasing him for quite awhile, and a dull ache had started spreading up my right side. "Atem, let's go play something else! I'm tired!"_

_"You said we couldn't play outside!" To Atem, there were no "indoor" activities. He had to be doing something physical, and it usually involved something outdoors. But today, I was wearing my white priest apprenticeship robes, and I dared not muss it in the least._

_"We could play a board game," I suggested hopefully._

_Just as I thought, Atem came running back up to me, his face scrunched up in disdain. "I don't want to play a board game, Seth! Why can't you play outside?" His tone turned to whining on the last phrase._

_"I told you!" I said impatiently. "I can't get my robes dirty!"_

_Atem rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about that, Seth!"_

_I inwardly sighed. It was very easy for Atem, the son of the Pharaoh of Egypt, to say that. No one would reprimand him for having dirty robes. "Atem, please, let's just stay inside and play a game," I said wearily. _

_"Oh, but Seth, it's so pretty outside! We cannot let it go to waste!" Atem pleaded, grabbing my hand. His crimson eyes shone so brightly with enthusiasm that I knew refusing him would just be futile._

_"Fine, but we'd better not get dirty!" I warned him as he began to lead me outside by the hand. _

_"We won't!" he promised happily, practically leaping with excitement of going outside. _

_"Good," I said darkly. "I will be punished severely if I even so much as get a speck of sand on these robes!"_

_"Oh, hush." Atem stopped us in the courtyard. I could already feel the rays of the great God Ra beating down on me, a trickle of sweat already trailing down my back. Atem smiled and turned his face up to the sun, basking in the rays. "Besides, you would do anything for me, wouldn't you, Seth?" Atem stopped looking towards the sky so he could look at me, his crimson eyes even more aglow in the sunlight. _

_"Of course I would," I said. "You are my prince."_

_Atem shook his head. "I do not want you to do it because I'm your prince. I want you to do it because it's _me._" His tone was very serious, a very uncharacteristic trait for the young prince. _

_"I--well, I..." I stuttered. Atem and I were friends, great friends I would even daresay, but never, in the many, many years I had known him, had we discussed anything as serious before. _

_"Because you love me, don't you, Seth?" Atem's eyes were wide as he said it. His face had such a pure look of innocence. Most people said it was because he was but a child of nine, but I disagreed; I was sure that Atem would never lose that innocence, no matter the age._

_"Y-yes, of course, Atem," I said finally. Even at only eleven, I knew that much was true. _

_Atem's face broke out in a large smile. "I love you, too, Seth." His face suddenly turned solemn again. I couldn't help but think this was the most seriousness Atem had very possibly ever experienced in his entire life._

_"But just promise me, Seth, after I become Pharaoh...you will do anything for me, and always love me." Atem took my hand again, squeezing it tightly._

_I was taken aback at the abrupt intensity of such a promise. Although Atem was only nine, and often acted much younger, there were rare events in which he acted wiser than his age. He knew, that when he was to become Pharaoh, he would have few friends. _

_"Of course, Atem," I said, smiling weakly. "I promise even into the afterlife, I will do those things for you."_

* * *

Even in eight years, I had not broken my promise.

Atem was my god.

My Pharaoh.

And the person I loved most in my life.

It was, of course, completely forbidden.

I pondered that thought as I stood in the throne room, watching Atem sitting haphazardly in the great throne. I couldn't help but think of his father, the late Pharaoh Aknamkanon, who had always so regally sat in his throne, his back ramrod straight, his clothes on meticulously. On the completely opposite end of the spectrum was his son, who was currently lounging _across _the throne, his legs hanging off the left arm rest. His robes were in complete disarray, showing much of his tanned skin and slight muscles the Pharaoh had managed to build up in the last few years. His multicolored hair was more disheveled, if that were even at all possible. His eyes were closed, and many of the people in the throne room standing beside me looked concerned, but I waved them away. Atem was much different than in his youth; he had mellowed and was not the tireless boy he once had been. Even Atem needed to rest his eyes every so often.

"Seth." The sound of Atem's voice startled everyone, making a few of the courtiers beside me jump. He opened one eye, the crimson orb studying me intently. "Seth, I think I may be getting a fever. If you would, please help me back to my room?"

Several of the courtiers made sounds of protest, but I glared at them. How _dare _they dispute what a Pharaoh was going to do? Atem was only 17, but that didn't make him any less of a Pharaoh than his father had been, as I so often had to remind his subjects.

"Of course, my lord," I said, taking the hand Atem had offered to me. He gave me a quick smirk as I helped him up. He was quite flushed, but I knew Atem didn't have fever; he had simply been too busy and needed some...time.

The courtiers parted as Atem and I walked down the aisle way and towards his private chambers. One of the guards opened the doors, shutting it firmly behind us once we were in.

These apartments where Atem resided were a refuge to the both of us. For Atem, it was from his duties as Pharaoh, and for us both, it was a place where formalities could drop, and we could relax. He led me back to his bed chambers, and when we arrived, he collapsed on his bed. After a moment of lying face down, he shot up, and began to take off his armlet, followed by his other jewelery. When he was done, he said, "Undress me, Seth."

I could feel that familiar sense of guilt deep in the pit of my stomach, but once again, I managed to ignore it. I knew it was taboo. As High Priest, I was never supposed to consort with _anyone_ the way I was consorting with Atem. I knew I was risking my journey to the afterlife, but somehow, those all seemed like trivial things when I was with Atem.

"Of course," I said with a smile, as I began to disrobe him. He did the same to me, and when we were both undressed, he pulled me down onto the bed with him, planting a soft kiss on my lips.

"A fever, my lord?" I asked, my smile growing broader.

"Or something like that," Atem said softly. He moved some stray locks of hair out of my eyes. I couldn't help but notice that instead of the carefree, happy Atem, his eyes betrayed a worried Pharaoh.

"Something wrong, Atem?" I asked softly.

He shook his head and smiled, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "No, Seth, nothing's wrong." He hesitated for a moment. "Just...do you remember that day, when we were children, you promised you would do anything for me, and that you would love me forever?"

I nodded. "Yes," I answered, recalling the events where I had pledged my undying love--albeit a child's love--to Atem.

"Promise me that again," he whispered.

Now I knew something was wrong, but I decided to comply with Atem. "Of course, Atem." I kissed him softly. "I promised to love you then, and I promise to love you always now."

His smile widened a little. "I love you, too, Seth. I always will."

I swallowed as Atem busied my lips. I just hoped we never had to test that love.

* * *

So...I hope you liked it! It was one of those stories that was just REALLY nagging at me to write, you know? Plus, I'm really excited for some of the later chapters.

If you would, please review. It makes me sooooo happy, you have no idea.

I just thought I'd say...my friend, tenspeed457, and I want to learn to play the Yu-Gi-Oh card game. So...I got the rule book. It's so freaking complicated...AHHHH! But all is solved when I watched Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged. If you haven't seen that series, and you like Yu-Gi-Oh, go watch it. It makes me laugh no matter what...


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, again. :)

So, here's chapter two. There's some hints of lemon in there, but nothing explicit in the least.

I took some historical liberties once again, so if there's any ancient Egypt experts reading this, forgive me.

I, unfortunately, do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

Thanks to tenspeed457 for being my lovely beta.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter two

_"Atem!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the great temple into which Atem had decided to wander. "Atem, come out here now!"_

_I could hear nothing but the echo of my own voice. The temple was dimly lit, and the shadows danced eerily across the large walls. I spent, as a priest-in-training, much of my time in temples, but never _this _temple. This temple was extraordinarily sacred; it was dedicated to the great God, Aten, from whose name Atem's name is derived. Since Atem would one day be the Pharaoh, the temple was considered even more sacred than a majority of all the other temples in Egypt. _

_"Atem!" I shouted again. "Please!"_

_"Seth, don't worry so much." Atem's voice, like mine, echoed through the temple. "You'll worry yourself to death."_

_"One of us has to worry," I muttered. When Atem had turned twelve a year ago, his father had established it as my duty to stay with Atem when I wasn't fulfilling my priestly duties. The rest of the time he was left in the charge of his advisor, Mahad. Between the two of us, we usually managed to keep him out of trouble. Usually._

_"Your father explicitly told you not to come in here." I may not have had any authority over Atem, but his father did. I was acutely aware that even though he acted as though he didn't care if he pleased his father or not, Atem truly wanted his father's attention and praise. I had concluded long ago that the reason for his frequent disobedience was that he so desperately wanted his father's attention that he was willing to get _any _attention, even if it was in the form of a severe scolding. _

_Atem ambled towards me, rolling his eyes. "My father is far too busy to care about what I am doing."_

_"He's the Pharaoh of all of Egypt. He's a very busy man." _

_Atem grabbed one of the many ornate pillars that dotted the temple and swung around it, his purple cape, which signified his royal standing, swirling around him. "I know." He smiled. "Do not worry, Seth, when I'm Pharaoh, I'll always have time for _you_."_

_My heart dropped a little. By the time he was Pharaoh, I would hopefully be a High Priest, and I was well aware that my duties would keep me more than occupied, leaving me with very little time for the Pharaoh. "Thank you, Atem. Although you, as Pharaoh, will be a busy man as well."_

_He sighed, leaning up against the pillar he had previously swung around. I couldn't help but notice that he was growing taller and that his tanned skin looked so very soft to the touch..._

_I snapped myself out of my reverie. For the past year, I had caught myself fantasizing about the prince in highly immoral ways, both for a priest and just for a person in general. No one was supposed to __think of the prince like that, most _especially _a priest. _

_"Something wrong, Seth?" Atem asked. He was suddenly standing very, very close to me. I could smell the spiciness of the shampoo that he used, the scent of his soap..._

_"N-No," I finally managed to get out, my voice strained. "I'm f-fine."_

_Atem smiled, and he put a hand up to my cheek, stroking it softly. It took all of my effort to not shiver under his touch. "You work yourself too hard. You'll grow old before your time, Seth."_

_"I must work hard if I am to become your High Priest someday."_

_"You will, of course, be my High Priest, Seth," Atem said, his voice matter-of-fact. "I get to choose, and I choose you."_

_"Thank you, my lord, but I need to actually become a priest before I become High Priest."_

_"You will." I sighed. I wish I could be as sure of myself as Atem was. A quick grin flashed across his face. "You have to be, so that one day you have to worship _me_."_

_Atem's voice was playful, but my entire body tensed up. Atem moved closer, a concerned look on his face replacing the playful look. I could again smell the spiciness of his shampoo, the sweetness of his soap. Unconsciously, I took a step backwards. I kept having these sort of reactions to Atem: my heart racing, my palms sweating..._

_"I'll always worship you," I blurted out before I could really think of what I was saying. I blushed immediately. Not only had I just admitted something so...intimate but I had also admitted in a _temple _that there was someone more important to me than the gods, which was completely unforgivable. _

_My gaze had dropped to the ground, but I felt Atem's index finger pull up my chin gently. "And I, you."_

_I swallowed. Atem was suddenly very, very close to me, so close I could see the beautiful red of his eyes, which varied from a gorgeous crimson to an intense ruby. I had always been captivated by the unique shade of his eyes. I could get caught in his eyes forever..._

_My heart skipped a beat when I felt Atem's lips on mine. For just a moment, I savored the feeling of Atem's soft lips, and I entwined my hand in his soft, multicolored tresses. Atem let out a sigh of contentedness, breaking me out of my reverie. _

_I pulled away and turned from Atem. As a future priest, I had taken a vow of chastity. _No one _was supposed to touch my body in any sort of sexual way; my body was a holy vessel, meant for the gods' use only. And I had just let another person, and the future _Pharaoh_, at that, kiss me in one of the most sacred temples in all Egypt. _

_"Seth..." Atem gently grabbed my wrist, turning me around so I was facing him again. _

_It felt like my heart had stopped beating entirely. Atem was once again very close; it wasn't unusual, in the upcoming years that Atem would take my breath away. _

_"Atem, I can't..." Even to me, I could hear the total lack of conviction. _

_Atem leaned in once again and silenced me with his lips. Both he and I both knew I was defeated. Both he and I knew I had _always _been defeated..._

_It was the first time that I had deviated from my holy path...the first time Atem had defeated me._

_But it certainly wouldn't be the last._

* * *

"Seth." I turned towards Atem, who was sitting on the bed, currently sliding his arm band up his arm. His face was still flushed, his blond hair sticking to his forehead haphazardly. He certainly did look as though he had a fever. No one would suspect a thing...

"Yes, Atem?" I moved a little closer to him, taking the other arm band from him and sliding it up his arm, letting my fingers linger, and causing him to shiver slightly.

He entwined one of his hands into my hair and ran his fingers through it. After a few times of doing that, he kept his hand on my cheek, stroking softly. He smiled, but once again, I could see the worry and concern in his eyes.

"Atem, what's wrong?" I asked softly.

Atem just shook his head. "Nothing, my Seth. It's been a long day, but you have made it immensely better."

I kissed him gently. "You're sure?"

He nodded. "Yes, I'm sure." He traced my jawline with his finger. "Will you come to me tonight, Seth?"

I hesitated. Atem demanding complete and total privacy twice in one day with his priest would arouse suspicions, surely. But I could never deny Atem. "Of course," I answered, turning my gaze towards the window. The great God Ra was slowly making his descent into the horizon, painting the sky with beautiful orange and gold hues.

Atem followed my gaze, and, like me, stared at it for a moment before abruptly grabbing my and and pulling me out to his private balcony, which overlooked the city. Atem and I had spent many long hours out on the balcony; it was low enough that we could still see the activities of the citizens, but high enough so that they could not see us.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said, staring out at the city. I knew he was referring to both the city and the sun.

"Yes, it is," I agreed. I put my hand on his back, slipping my hand underneath his tunic so that I could rub his back soothingly. He immediately closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. There was nothing Atem loved more than having a back massage, or merely having someone _touch_ his back. It had always been an immense comfort to him. Even as children, I had done the same for him, but with different...purposes in mind, of course.

"So you will come to me tonight, Seth?" Atem asked again. His eyes were almost pleading, and once again, I knew that there was much more on his mind than just a long and toilsome day.

"After I attend to my duties, I will," I promised, taking his left hand in mine. I wondered why he was so adamant about why he wanted to be with me tonight. "Of course, I must wake up far earlier than the great Pharaoh to attend to my duties at the great temple of Aten." I laced my words with a teasing tone. The pharaoh was well-known to be a cranky ariser, and hated to be awakened early. He would much rather attend to his duties far into the night than get up early.

Atem tightened his grip on my hand and smiled. I knew he was trying to smile coyly; smile that smile that had so often nearly drove me to the edge, but he couldn't quite manage it. "I do not think we will be sleeping too much tonight, Seth. This afternoon was not quite enough for me."

I leaned in and kissed him, intending it to be light and playful, but Atem further deepened the kiss, causing it to last a long time. I finally had to break the kiss; the great God Ra was almost down for the night completely, and I had to be at the temple to complete my duties before then.

"I will come back tonight," I promised once again. "Shall I tell your courtiers that the pharaoh has overcome his fever, or shall I tell them he is indisposed for the night?"

"I intend to be indisposed far into the night, but I suppose I could attend to some business before then." He smirked, pushing past me and going back into his private chambers. I followed him, and we stopped for one last kiss before I exited the room. Just as I was about to open the door, however, he called, "Seth!"

"Yes, my pharaoh?" I answered, smiling. Both of our tones were civilized and formal, so unlike the usual playful nature of our conversations.

"When you go into that temple tonight, remember who you _really_ worship." His tone was a little playful, but I could hear the serious tone underlying the playful one.

My body dipped into a low bow. "Of course I will, my lord." I decided to drop the formality so that he knew how truly serious I was. "I always do, Atem."

He nodded. "Good." He paused before continuing on. "Because as long as you do, I don't need anyone else to."

* * *

The next morning, I awoke before even Ra had made an appearance. When I had returned the night before, Atem had seemed a little less worried than he had throughout the day, and I could only hope that whatever had been bothersome to him before had gone away with the night.

I quietly slipped out of bed and began to gather my clothing that had spread itself haphazardly throughout the room. Atem stirred a little, and I started, hoping I had not awoke him, but he just continued his deep, even breathing. I decided as I stood there that he was easily the most beautiful human being that the gods had ever created. He looked so beautiful, so delicate, laying on the wide expanse of the bed, his dark, tanned skin a stark contrast to the crisp whiteness of the sheet that teasingly covered only the most private parts of him, leaving the rest of his body exposed.

I hurriedly dressed, and crept over to the pharaoh. I smoothed back his bangs and kissed him softly on the forehead, and then on the lips before I turned to depart. It was times like these it was always hardest to leave Atem, for I knew that after a blissful night together, I would have to leave and then return to my duties as High Priest Seth and he as Pharaoh Atem. My heart always constricted in my chest when I thought of that, and also the knowledge of that was how it would always be.

I made my way quickly through the winding streets of the city. The distance was short from the palace to the temple, so it took me little time to get there. In the outer part, I gathered all I needed: the clothing, food, and other such necessary items for the great god Aten. I then began my laborious task of caring for the god.

By the time I was done, the Ra was high in the sky, and the city was bustling with business. I received many greetings as I walked through the streets; I was High Priest, the highest priest in the land, and also advisor and close confidant to the pharaoh. Many people attempted to befriend me simply to get closer to the pharaoh, but in my many years of being close to the royal family, I had learned who to place my trust in and who not to.

From the second the doors of the palace were opened to me, I was swarmed with ministers, courtiers, and other priests. They began to bombard me with statements and questions, until I finally held up a hand. "You," I said, pointing to what appeared to be a minister. "What is the meaning of all this?"

"High Priest, someone attempted to rob the tomb of the great Aknamkanon," he said solemnly, but not before giving me a low bow. "He has been arrested and is awaiting you and the pharaoh in the great hall."

I took a deep breath, trying to map out in my mind how I wanted to handle the current situation. "Thank you. Now, where is the pharaoh?"

"He awaits you in his private chambers," the minister answered. "He said not to be disturbed until you had arrived."

I nodded, and immediately made my way to the pharaoh's private chambers. When I finally reached his rooms, I entered without announcing my presence , and I found my pharaoh out on his private balcony, surrounded by ministers and other high-ranking courtiers. I cleared my throat, and Atem turned towards me.

"Leave me," Atem said sternly. "I need to speak with my High Priest."

The ministers and courtiers all bowed low, and Atem waited until they had fully exited before he spoke.

"Has anyone informed you of the events?" Atem's tone was formal, and I knew we had gone from Atem and Seth to Pharaoh Atem and High Priest Seth.

"Yes," I answered. "He awaits us in the Hall."

Atem nodded, and his gaze slowly slid up to meet mine. "I want him executed, Seth. I will speak with him briefly, and then I want him dead. He was desecrating my father's tomb, Seth." Atem crossed his arms, his eyes steely with determination, but also hinting, too, of sadness.

"Of course, Atem. We'll find out who sent him, and then he will be executed on the spot." I tried to move towards him, to wrap my arms around him and comfort him, but he moved away from me.

"We should go, Seth," he said, his voice monotone, and his face now completely devoid of expression.

"Of course," I repeated, and moved aside so that Atem could sweep past me and out into the outer chambers.

The Great Hall was already filled with courtiers, ministers, and priests alike, all surrounding in a semi-circle around the throne. For the amount of people contained in the room, it was surprisingly quiet. Atem took his seat on the throne, and I took my place next to him, standing as straight as I could. I glanced at Atem, and he waved his hand, signaling to the guards to bring the miscreant forward.

It took only a few seconds for the guards to bring forth the man, who was struggling to free himself from the two guards who had his arms. They threw him on the ground, and situated him so that he was in a kneeling position in front of Atem.

The man looked to be about my age, perhaps a bit older. His skin was the same bronzed color of Atem's, but didn't look soft to the touch, unlike the pharaoh's. His hair was white, almost going down to his shoulders in a scraggly mess. A jagged scar snaked down the right side of his face, giving his countenance a cruel and twisted look.

After a moment of silence, Atem slowly rose from his throne, and came to stand before the thief. The criminal did not look up, so one of the guards grabbed him by the hair, forcing his gaze up to meet the pharaoh's.

"What is your name, thief?" Atem asked him. I was surprised by the calmness in Atem's voice. The thief said nothing. His face contorted itself into a smirk, but he stayed silent.

"Answer me, thief!" Atem demanded, his voice holding so much authority that most of the courtiers looked surprised; Atem was normally fairly easygoing.

"Bakura," the thief said slowly. "My name is Bakura. Perhaps you remember me?"

Atem's brows knitted together in confusion. "I don't know you, thief!"

Bakura's smirk widened. "No, of course you wouldn't. Your father wouldn't want his precious son to know me!"

"Do not speak of my father!" Atem burst out angrily. I wanted to go over to him, hold him, and comfort him, but that, of course, was not an option. "You have desecrated his tomb, and desecrated his holy name!"

"Believe me, _Pharaoh_, I do not speak of your father unless I have to," Bakura said slowly. "I do not speak of _murderers_."

"How dare you say that!" Atem's voice rose in volume, and I could see him shaking with barely suppressed anger.. "My father was not a murderer!"

"He wasn't?" Bakura's voice, too, got louder. "So I supposed when the pharaoh's soldiers came into my village and slaughtered my entire family and village, that wasn't _murder_?"

The Hall was suddenly blanketed with a tense silence. Everyone was staring at Atem, wondering what the young pharaoh was going to do about the situation. After a few minutes of complete and total silence, Atem backed away from Bakura.

"What are you talking about?" he asked slowly, his voice strained.

"Four years ago, a number of the pharaoh's soldiers came into my village and slaughtered everyone, but me." Bakura's voice was emotionless, but like Atem's always did, his eyes betrayed his pain.

"Everyone?" Atem repeated.

"Everyone," Bakura confirmed. "Men, women, and children. Even little children, who could do no more then scream as their parents were killed in front of them."

Atem's eyes were wide with disbelief. "I-I...my father had nothing to do with that!"

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Of course he did! That many of the pharaoh's soldiers do not do that unless they're under the pharaoh's orders." His gaze hardened. "So now you can see, _Pharaoh_, why I would want to destroy your father's tomb. I hope he never makes it to the Underworld."

Several of the guards leapt forward, their weapons at the ready. Bakura had just committed the ultimate form of blasphemy, which was punishable by instantaneous death. Atem, however, held up a hand.

"No...just-just take him away!" Atem turned his back on Bakura, as well as the stunned guards, courtiers, and ministers. Not only had Bakura just committed blasphemy, which was punishable by death, but he had attempted to rob a tomb, another offense punished by execution.

"Seth, come with me," Atem said, once again his voice holding no emotion. He turned back to the courtiers and ministers. "We are not to be disturbed for the rest of the day. My High Priest and I have much to discuss."

Everyone nodded and bowed low. Bakura did not struggle as the guards led him away, instead keeping his eyes on Atem the entire time. Atem grabbed my wrist, and began to drag me away in a very undignified fashion.

We made it back to his chambers quickly, and as soon as we had complete privacy, Atem collapsed on the floor, his head in his hands. I sunk down beside him, and was surprised to feel him shaking as I pulled him into my arms. He immediately curled into me, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Seth, if that's true...my father..." Atem's voice broke on the last word, and when he looked up, I was surprised to see his eyes shiny with tears.

"Atem, surely your father never ordered such a thing. The thief is lying, Atem, to save himself!"

Atem nodded, but the tears remained. "Yes, he could be, but what if it's true, Seth? What if my father did have an entire village slaughtered?"

I gently pushed back some bangs from his forehead, and I planted a kiss there. "We will have it investigated throughly."

He nodded once more and took a deep breath. I could tell he was trying to collect himself, so that he could deal with this, but by the sagging of his shoulders, I could tell he wasn't able to. I began to rub his back, and whisper soothing phrases to him. I was the only person Atem could fall apart around, and I wanted him to know that no matter what, I was there, and that I was always going to be.

Always and forever.

* * *

So...I hoped you liked it. I was rather pleased with how it came out, but you know how that goes.

See that little button down there? If you click it and write me a note, I would appreciate it and love you forever. Just saying. It makes me happy. Even just a few words to let me know how I'm doing.

I'll try to update as soon as I can. Sigh. I have a Death Note one I haven't updated since forever....


	3. Chapter 3

So...this is a beast of a chapter. It's reallllllllllllllllly long. Something like eleven pages on Open Office or something. I think it's pretty good, though. :) But yeah. ANYWAY.

Just a side note. The parts that aren't flashbacks (the non-italicized parts) pick up right from the last chapter (round or about), but the flashbacks don't. They skip ahead. Hope that makes sense.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, unfortunately. Or any manga or anime. It's unfortunate, but it's the truth.

Warning: This chapter has a lemon. Not too great at writing them, but I'm working on it, so it's not too explicit.

As always, thanks to my lovely beta tenspeed457. She writes really good Yu-Gi-Oh fics. You should go check hers out, too.

Enjoy. :)

* * *

_"Seth." Atem's voice cut through the darkness, jerking me out of my deep slumber. I sat straight up, struggling to adjust my eyes to the night. The moon's rays were glowing eerily through my window, casting light throughout parts of my room. The only area I was concerned with, however, was the end of my bed, where the Prince of Egypt was sitting barefoot, in just his dressing gown, with no jewelery or anything else on to signify his royal standing; if not for his godlike beauty, he could have been mistaken for a common Egyptian. _

_"Atem! What are you doing here?" I asked urgently. "You shouldn't be here!"_

_Atem crawled up my bed so that he was sitting in front of me. I had to stop myself from staring at Atem's body; his dressing gown was short and was currently exposing much of Atem's tanned legs, the strong muscles rippling underneath the golden skin. The gown had also slipped off one shoulder, baring such soft, smooth skin that I so wanted to touch..._

_"I wanted to see you, Seth," Atem whispered "I _needed _to see you"_

_Oh, how I had always wanted to hear those words, but he couldn't know that..._

_"You just saw me a few hours ago, Atem." I tried to make my voice sound careless, but instead it came out sounding kind of choked. _

_"I know." Atem's hand was suddenly on my face, and he kissed me softly. It had been two years since our first kiss in the temple, and that certainly hadn't been our last. Every time, I had protested, and every time, I completely gave into him. Even now, as an actual priest, I couldn't stop myself from seeing and thinking about Atem. "But I needed to see you again."_

_I took a deep breath to attempt to clear my head. Atem had this very debilitating habit of completely clouding my mind of any thought that didn't have to do with him. "We could get into trouble," I warned, even though I knew the threat of that didn't bother him at all, like it did me. Then again, Atem, as the Prince of Egypt, couldn't get into trouble like I could._

_"We won't," he promised. "No one's going to hear us in here." He was referring to the vastness of the Priests' dormitory; my room was very far from anyone else's._

_My train of thought was derailed by the very sudden presence of Atem straddling me,. _

_"Atem, what are you doing?" I found that my hands had somehow crept to rest on his legs, and I yanked them away. "It isn't funny, you know."_

_"I'm not trying to be funny." Atem leaned down to kiss me again. By the time he had broken the kiss, I was startled to see that he had somehow slithered under my covers._

_"Atem..."_

_My heart about jumped out of my chest as he grabbed the hem of his dressing gown, and pulled it off, leaving his sun-kissed skin completely bare...I immediately shut my eyes; I was never supposed to see this as a priest._

_"Open your eyes, Seth," Atem said softly._

_"I-I...can't," I managed to get out after a moment. _

_"Seth, I _want _you to see me," he whispered. "Open you eyes."_

_I very slowly opened my eyes to find the most gorgeous human being possible straddling me. My breath caught my throat as I stared at him. _

_I jumped when I felt Atem's hand on my tunic. Before I could even react, he had pulled it off, leaving me bare as well. Immediately, I tried to cover myself up; my body was never meant to be seen bare by anybody, ever..._

_"Atem, stop!" My voice held no commanding tone whatsoever. "You can't...I-I can't...we can't..." I stuttered, trying--and failing--to not be too distracted by the beauty of the prince before me._

_"What?" he asked innocently, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I'm not doing anything!"_

_I mustered up the angriest glare I could, but even then, I knew it was next to nothing._

_"Seth. I want this. You want this. So why not?" The tone of his voice made his logic seem so clear._

_"Because I'm a priest! I took a vow of chastity. My body is supposed to be for the gods only!"_

_His grin widened. "Well, Seth, fortunately I am the gods' representation on Earth." He leaned closer. "And I'm giving you_ full _permission to use your body--and mine--in any way you like."_

_I certainly couldn't argue with this argument; the pharaohs _were _the gods' representation on Earth, and we treated them as such. _

_"Seth, for once in your life, stop thinking," Atem said exasperatedly. He smiled coyly and leaned down so that he could whisper right in my ear. "And aren't I worth Osiris' punishment?"_

_I didn't even have to ponder that answer. "Atem, you're worth _everything _I could possibly ever suffer."_

_"Then show me." Atem's voice was firm. "Show me what you feel."_

_I felt every single one of my defenses fall. Of course I wanted Atem. How could anyone not? I ran my hand down one of his legs, feeling the softness of it under my fingertips. Atem just studied me patiently, a calm look on his face._

_"Fine, I will." I hooked my arm under one of Atem's and managed to flip him under me. He stared at me, completely disoriented, and I just smiled._

_"You didn't think you were going to be the one in control, did you?" I teased lightly. _

_Atem's eyes were wide. For the first time in a long while, he looked apprehensive. "W-Well, I-I..." He trailed off. "I guess not."_

_A part of me had expected Atem to demand that he would be, and when I wouldn't give him his way, he would refuse to go any further. A part of me had even kind of wanted it._

_The frightening part, however, was that a much, much larger part of me wanted him to acquiesce my request, and to let me have him..._

_"Seth, are you going to do something or are you just going to lay on top of me?" Atem asked dryly."You have to be the one in control, _after all_."_

_As punishment, I bit down on Atem's collarbone none too lightly. He flinched a little, but I could hear him inhale sharply. I placed a light kiss on the reddening spot before moving along his collarbone. With each nip of my teeth, his breathing got more and more erratic, and the delicious sounds that were falling from his mouth only encourage me in ravishing the prince._

_I slowly began to move down his body, not leaving one inch of his smooth, tanned skin untouched I felt as though Atem was a feast; a feast I intended to both savor and devour._

_"S-seth..." Atem gasped as my lips traveled to his inner thighs. I glanced up for a moment to see if that was a warning for me to stop or an encouragement for me to continue His face was flushed, his bangs sticking to his forehead...._

_I tore my lips away and settled on his hipbone, sucking until I made a mark. A dark thrill ran up my spine; when I saw that mark, it would remind me of the night we spent together..._

_"Seth, I-I don't know...I don't know if I'm going to last much longer," Atem whispered, his cheeks reddening._

_I could feel Atem's body tightening like a spring, but it was hard; I could speed hours, days, kissing and touching his body. However, I wanted to truly be with Atem, and I knew that wasn't going to happen if I continued my ministrations._

_"I--well, I---" I swallowed. Like Atem, I had absolutely no experience on what to do; I was going purely on instinct."Just relax, Atem."_

_"I-I'm relaxed."_

_His body was basically trembling from the need for release. "Yes, I can see you're very calm."_

_"Just...do whatever...but do something!" he burst out, very obviously frustrated. "For once in your life, Seth, don't think, just feel!"_

_I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before whispering, "It's going to hurt, Atem."_

_"Fine. Just..." Atem trailed off, but his eyes pleaded with me to finish what we had started. _

_I nodded and got up quickly, and Atem made sounds of protest. I ignored them, though, to get a bottle of oil that I used to keep my skin soft. I knew that without some sort of lubricant, I could very much hurt Atem, and probably even with the oil, I would still cause him great pain. _

_I quickly spread it on myself, throwing the bottle aside. I glanced at Atem; the bravado that had been on his face was now replaced with the look of pure uncertainty. _

_"Atem, are you sure? You look nervous..."_

_"Well, of course I'm nervous!" Atem snapped. "You're about to..."_

_I interrupted of what was sure to be a rather...elegant explanation with a kiss. When Atem got something in his mind, nothing could sway him, no matter what. His father said he was the stubbornest creature ever to have inhabited Egypt, and it was times like these that it was shown to be very, very true._

_I positioned myself the best I could and began to enter him as gently as I could. Immediately, Atem gritted his teeth together, a sure sign he was in pain, but just as I was about to pull out, Atem grabbed my wrists._

_"Don't you dare," he warned me. "Just...give me a moment."_

_I nodded, trying my best not to move an inch. After a minute or so, Atem nodded, and I continued the rest of the way in. Like last time, I let him adjust to what I was sure was an extremely odd--not to mention painful--feeling._

_"I'm not going to break, Seth," Atem whispered to me after a little awhile. "You could...move."_

_Oh, how Atem was wrong. With him under me, he seemed extraordinarily breakable. _

_Although my heart told me to wait, my body followed Atem's advice and as gently as I could I thrust in for the first time. Atem winced, once again gritting his teeth, but he said nothing. I was torn; part of me very much wanted to keep going, while the other part of me was telling me to stop, that I was obviously hurting Atem. However, before my internal battle of the wills could go any further, my body subconsciously decided for me: I pushed in once again, and this time, Atem's hips arched up to meet my thrust, and both of us let out strangled cries and mangled versions of one another's names. _

_We continued that pattern, and it didn't take long for Atem to begin to emit soft gasps, every so often peppering them with my name. I could barely concentrate anymore, I was so engulfed in what I was sure had to be the pinnacle of all pleasure. A sheen of sweat began to form over Atem's entire body, and I made it my project to kiss every inch of his skin..._

_"S-Seth!" Atem choked out my name as his back began to arch. With one last thrust, he came with a loud cry, his nails digging so much into my back I was sure they would leave marks later. The feeling of him tightening around me sent me over the edge as well. For a moment, time seemed to stop as Atem and I were caught into our own little world of ecstasy, our own little world of pure and unadulterated pleasure..._

_Finally, though, I collapsed on Atem, both of us struggling to catch our breaths. I felt as though I had just run all the way to the neighboring city and back again during the noon day. Sweat and other...bodily fluids kept it so that Atem and I stuck together, unable to move from our current positions._

_"I'm sorry if I hurt you," I whispered to him after I had finally managed to regain my normal lung capacity._

_Atem shook his head. "It's more than fine, Seth. I'm fine."_

_That seemed to be all the words Atem and I could handle, however. A think silence blanketed the room, but for once, it wasn't awkward. I felt so content, laying on top of Atem, his arms loosely holding me. All I could hear was our mixed breathing, and the sounds of the crickets trilling outside my chamber. _

_I was so content, in fact, that my eyelids soon began to close, and my mind started to grow hazy with sleep. Just as I was about to take that final step into sleep, however, Atem broke the silence._

_"Seth?"_

_"Yes?" My voice was muffled in his chest, so it came our more like, "Mmph?"_

_"That was amazing." It came out like he had been holding his breath, and then let it all out with that phrase. _

_I lifted up my head to look Atem straight in the eyes. "Yes, it was," I agreed. I was about to add, "Even though it's completely forbidden," but I didn't. I couldn't bear to break this perfect moment. the perfect serenity that Atem and I had right then._

_"I love you, Atem." I softly kissed him on his forehead and settled on top of him again, settling my head so that it was in the crook between his neck and shoulder. _

_"I love you, too, Seth." He smiled, and at that exact moment, the moon was uncovered from the clouds, shining into my room so that it could illuminate just the two of us._

_"See, even the gods approve, Seth," Atem said, his grin widening. "We have the blessings of the gods."_

_"I don't know about that. Maybe of _one _god," I said, lightly pinching him in the ribs. I immediately kissed the side of his neck to make up for it. _

_"Yes, one god certainly does approve," Atem whispered, his voice beginning to turn groggy. "And that's all we need."_

_I decided to leave it at that. And so both of us fell asleep, the moon shining down upon us, the crickets still conversing with one another, and me, praying, praying for both forgiveness for what I'd done, and for it to never stop._

* * *

_It was the rays of the great god Ra that woke me the next morning. I wasn't used to waking up with the sun; I was always at the temple by this time even though I wasn't required to be. I wanted to outshine everyone else; I wanted to earn the High Priest position and not just get it because I was so close to Atem._

_This morning, however, I was still in bed far after I usually was, with the Prince sprawled on top of me. Our limbs were so entangled it was nearly impossible to see where my body ended and Atem's began; the only clue was the startling contrast of his bronzed skin against my ghostly paleness. _

_"Atem." I began to rub slow and gentle circles across his back to wake him up. His skin was so very soft; I wanted to run my hands over it all day, everyday. I knew, though, that his servants would soon start wondering where the Prince had wandered off to. "Atem, it's time to wake up."_

_He stirred a little and groaned softly. when he lifted his head, his groggy eyes flicked briefly to the window and then found mine. He smiled._

_"Good morning, Seth."_

_"Good morning," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair. "We have to get up"_

_"Mmmmm..." He bent his head down and began to softly kiss my collarbone. I shivered, and I could feel Atem grinning._

_"Atem." I grabbed his shoulders so that I could pull him back. I couldn't form a coherent thought when his lips were on me. "People will wonder. Like your father, for example. Aren't you supposed to meet with him today?"_

_He somehow managed to get out from my grasp, and he began to trace my collarbone with his tongue. A part of me--a very, very large part, and perhaps too large of a part--wanted to let him continue, but luckily, the more sensible part of me took over. _

_"Atem, stop." To prove my point, I flipped him under me easily, and I pinned his wrists above his head. "Behave yourself."_

_"Do you really want me to stop?" he asked. By the coy smile on his face, he already knew the answer. _

_"Of course not, but--"_

_Atem's smile widened. "Glad we cleared that up. Besides..." He reached up to kiss me quickly. "This position seemed fine for you last night."_

_I could feel the blush rising in my cheeks; in fact, I was sure that Atem could probably feel the heat emanating from my face. I lowered my gaze so that I didn't have to look Atem in the eyes._

_"Seth, you're so cute when you blush," He ran his knuckles gently over my cheeks, and that just just made me blush more. "Remind me to embarrass you more often."_

_My witty retort was on the tip of my tongue when I suddenly heard the shuffling of footsteps echoing down the hallway leading to my room. Immediately, I jumped out of bed, quickly grabbing one of my priest's robe that I--or Atem, rather--had flung off to the side. I slipped into it, and then knotted the belt at my waist tightly. I could only hope I could pass as presentable. I frantically looked for a place for Atem to hide, but all that was contained in my room was a couch for me to sleep on and a chest for my extra robes._

_"Just...stay here," I whispered, and I quickly swept out of my room, barely managing to intercept the two men, who were presently standing right in front of my door, ready to enter. One of the men was Mahad, Atem's advisor, and the other man was the current High Priest to the Pharaoh, and also the man whom was in charge of all the lower priests' training. _

_"Seth, I'm surprised to find you here. You're usually at the temple by this time," the High Priest observed, as he studied me closely. Even though now I looked reasonably presentable, I usually looked absolutely impeccable at all times. _

_"Y-yes...I...I couldn't fall asleep last night, and when I finally did, I fell asleep so deeply I overslept." I said, the last part of my sentence very rushed. I could hear a derisive snort coming from the room behind me, so I cleared my throat to cover it, and also to disguise the smile that was threatening to appear on my face. Yes, indeed, I couldn't sleep last night, and that reason's name was Atem._

_"So you have not seen the prince, then?" Mahad asked briskly._

_"The p-prince?" I repeated stupidly. "No, I have not."_

_Mahad sighed, his shoulder scrunched from weariness.. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the man; he must have had the hardest job in all of Egypt: keeping tabs on the Prince Atem. "He's nowhere to be found. If you see him, please send him back to the palace immediately."_

_I nodded "Of-of course. He probably just snuck out to see Mana."_

_Mahad seemed to straighten up a little. "I haven't thought of that! I will go see Mana right away!" He turned around quickly, and began to walk away. The High Priest was about to follow him, but he turned around almost as soon as he had started walking away._

_"Seth, if you would like to stay this morning, that would be acceptable, as long as you are at the temple after noon meal." Normally, I would have went to the temple right that very second. Then again, normally, I would already be at the temple. But now...Now, I was going to take the morning off._

_"Thank you. I will be at the temple after noon meal."_

_The High Priest gave me a small smile and jogged ahead to catch up to Mahad. I made sure to wait until they were both out of sight before returning to my chambers._

_Atem was sitting on my bed, only his lower half wrapped in a sheet. He smiled when he saw me._

_"Mahad is going to Mana's to search for me, so..."_

_"So what?" I reached under the bed to grab Atem's tunic and handed it to him. "You must get back to the palace immediately. I'm not sure what you'll say but..."_

_Atem suddenly wrapped his arms around my neck, pulling me down for a long kiss. "No. That means that I now have bought us an extra few hours, since you don't have to go to temple yet."_

_"Atem!" I scolded. "We have stolen enough time already." _

_Atem's expression turned serious as he shook his head vehemently. "No. Never enough time, Seth"_

_"But Atem..." I protested weakly. _

_He shook his head once again, his blond bangs sweeping into his eyes. "Stay with me, Seth. And tonight, when you get out of temple, you will come to me again." He slowly slipped off the belt to my robe, and threw it aside, and then began to slide my robe off my shoulders. "You will always come back to me, Seth, as I will to you."_

_I sighed as I took off the rest of my robe. and climbed back into bed with Atem. _

_"That's going to be our downfall someday," I whispered to him._

_Atem shrugged as much as he could with me situated on top of me. "As long as my downfall is with you, then I couldn't care less." He paused as he kissed me softly. "I love you, Seth."_

_I sighed and closed my eyes. This wasn't the first time I had heard those words comes for Atem; when we were children, I had promised to love him forever, but this time...this time I knew that Atem meant it, that those words held more than just an empty promise we had made as children._

_"I love you, too, Atem," I whispered. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I could feel an aching tug at my heart; even then, I somehow knew saying those words would be unwise._

_And very, very possible fatal._

* * *

The moon was high in the sky when Atem finally fell asleep that night in my arms. It was times like these that still reminded me of how _delicate_ Atem really was. I smiled inwardly at the though of telling the pharaoh that; he thought he was anything but delicate. And in some ways he was; in manners of the state, he was the strongest of the strong. However, as I held him, the slimness of his frame...his tear-stained face....the pharaoh was much more delicate than he would like to believe.

To me, though, that was completely fine.

Because I would _always_ be there to protect him.

I lay there for a long time, just listening to his steady breathing. Atem had always commented on how he loved to listen to me breathe. I would wake to find his head on my chest, right where my heart was located. I had always wondered what the appeal was and had asked him so many times, but he would just smile and say, 'I just like hearing you breathe, Seth. What's so odd about that?' But right this very moment, I could understand completely why Atem liked listening; it was very comforting, simply to know that other person was just _there_.

Atem stirred a few hours later, pushing the blond bangs out of his eyes. He tried to sit up, but found that my body was serving as an impediment, seeing as how my head was situated on his chest, an exact mirror of what he did to me.

"What are you doing?" he asked me. He was smiling, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. I was reminded of how he was doing that frequently as of late, and I had yet to still figure out what had been bothering him before the incident with Bakura. But now, now was not the time.

"Listening to you breathe," I answered matter-of-factly.

When he smiled this time, it reached his beautiful crimson eyes. "You always tease me about that. Do you understand why, now?"

"Because...because it's comforting. It's steady."

Atem considered my answer for a moment before tilting his head and thoughtfully saying, "Yes, that's true, but..."

I reached for Atem's hand and placed it over my heart. "Whatever reason you do it for, Atem, just know that my heart always beats for you." I bit my lip. Usually it was Atem who made the proclamations of love, not me. But for whatever reason I _needed_ him to know that about me.

"Seth...." Atem swept some of my bangs out of my eyes. "Do you have any idea how good it makes me feel to hear you say that?" When I shook my head, he continued, "It makes me feel like everything I do is worth it. I love you, Seth."

"I love you, too, Atem," I whispered.

"Glad that has been established," he said smiling. "But we're going to have an early day tomorrow, Seth. We need to question Bakura some more, found out if what he said is accurate."

"Of course." Atem had settled back up against me, and I wrapped my arms around him once again. "As soon as I come back from the temple..."

"There's no need to go to the temple tomorrow, Seth," Atem said groggily, his eyelids beginning to droop. "The god you need to serve is right beside you."

I sighed. It was no longer a requirement but rather a liking as far as going to the temple went. I went almost everyday, but on rare occasions, such as this, I wouldn't, knowing that a lower priest would see the empty temple and do my duty for me.

"Of course," I repeated. "Just sleep, Atem. Your troubles will go away with sleep."

He nodded, his eyes already closed, his breathing becoming steadier and steadier. I snuggled closer to him, listening once again to his heartbeat, knowing that his heart beat for me, and for me only.

* * *

As usual, Ra's appearance was far too early for both Atem and me. However, both of us knew we couldn't linger; someone would be coming for Atem soon, and I still had to sneak out and back to my chambers before anybody noticed my absence. Before I had become High Priest, and had lived in the priest's dormitory, it had made it extremely difficult to spend the night with Atem; the dormitory didn't have too many secret entrances and I had been almost caught more than once.

As usual, I was the first to arise. It took great effort to get up; Atem had been sprawled across me, his limbs tangled in mine. When I finally did escape his extremities, I went over to his gold basin to splash some cold water on my face. The frigidness shocked me enough to wake me up completely.

"Atem," I said quietly, going over to put my hand on one of his cheeks. I rubbed one of my thumbs across his cheekbone, and he stirred a little. "Atem, it's morning."

He sighed and fully opened his eyes, revealing the beautiful crimson orbs. "I hate mornings," he grumbled.

"I know," I said soothingly. "They come very early."

Atem glared at me. He had told me that once when we were children and I had never let him forget it. "I was going to give you a compliment, but now, I'm not so sure."

"I'm sorry," I said, trying to be solemn, but failing, as a smile crept onto my face.

"I was _going_ to say I hate mornings because that means my time with you ends."

I threaded one of my hands through my hair to bring him closer to me. I touched my lips softly to his. "But you know the greatest thing about night is? That it will, inevitably, come again."

"Yes," Atem admitted. "But the same could be said for the mornings."

"Try to be optimistic, Atem," I chided him softly.

He nodded. "Yes, well..."

Atem was interrupted by a sharp knock on his door. Quickly, methodically, we gave each other a second look; this wasn't the first time this had happened, and there had been a few times--an untied belt, an off-the-shoulder robe--that had almost gotten us into trouble.

"Come in," Atem said after a moment.

It was Mahad who swept in, his dark robes billowing around him. He sized both Atem and me up, and I could have almost sworn I saw disapproval and anger swirling behind his dark eyes. However, I concluded I must have imagined the look. since he continued as though nothing had happened. "Sire, it seems to me that the thief should be questioned as soon as possible."

"Of course," Atem said firmly. "Seth and I were just on our way out to do so."

Mahad nodded. "Good. And also, sire, the subject we talked of earlier..."

"Nothing more to speak of, Mahad," Atem cut in smoothly. "Now, could you please leave us to discuss the thief before we go to him?"

Mahad looked unsure, but after Atem threw him one of his most fiercest glares, he bowed and walked out, his dark robes trailing behind him,

"What was he speaking of, Atem?" I asked, as soon as Mahad had left. I had assumed that whatever had been bothering him for the last few days had not been bothering him anymore, but by the worrisome look in Atem's eyes, I knew he had managed to only sweep aside the problem, not fix it.

He plastered a weak smile onto his face. "Nothing, Seth. You know Mahad. He likes to stir up trouble where trouble doesn't need to be stirred."

"But, Atem--"

He shook his head. "Let's not speak of it. The thief is out there waiting, and we need to know the truth, Seth, whatever it may be."

"Atem, this problem is obviously not going away. You're going to have to tell me sometime."

The look on Atem's face worried me further. "Don't worry, Seth. I'm sure you'll be aware of the problem--much more aware than you probably need to be--very soon."

* * *

Those words echoed throughout my head as Atem and I waited in the throne room for the guards to bring the thief Bakura in. We could _hear_ them bringing the brigand in even before we saw him; the miscreant was making quite a ruckus. He calmed down, though, when he saw that only me, Atem, and Mahad were in the throne room; Atem had insisted on that.

Like before, the guards threw Bakura on the ground, forcing him to kneel in front of Atem. This time, however, Atem said, "Let him stand."

"But sire---" one of the guards protested.

"Let him stand!"

The guards let off their pressure on Bakura's shoulder and allowed the white-haired man to stand. His face was twisted in a malicious sneer.

"Why don't you just execute me and be done with it?"

"Why, do you want to be executed?" Atem asked dryly.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Of course not. But I'm sure it would be much better than what you're going to do with me."

"I'm not going to do anything with you, except demand you tell me everything you remember from four years ago."

I couldn't help but notice Bakura's shoulders sagged. "I told you everything already."

Atem got up from his throne, his eyes still glued on Bakura. "But you didn't tell me _why_. Why would my father order his army in to kill a village full of innocent people?"

""He had to have human sacrifices for the Millennium items, didn't he?" Bakura said after a short pause.

"Millennium items?" Atem repeated. "What are those?"

"It was your father's idea, I would have thought you would know," Bakura spit out, as though the phrase were poison.

"I assure you, I have no idea..."

"Did your dear father leave you anything before he died?" Bakura interrupted suddenly.

Atem looked a little taken aback at being interrupted; no one but me did that, and only in private, but he answered, "Yes, a few things. Why?"

"What were they?" Bakura asked eagerly. He even leaned forward a little. A little _too_ close to the pharaoh.

"It's none of your business, thief," Atem said sharply, taking a step backward. "What is your business is telling me all you know."

Bakura's eyes didn't lose the eagerness, but he took a step back again. "I told you. My village, Kul Elna, was attacked because your father needed 99 human sacrifices for the Millennium items. No on knows what they are, but they have to be extraordinarily powerful if they require that many sacrifices. In fact, it's rumored that your father left _you _one."

"Me?" Atem asked incredulously. "Don't you think he would have discussed that with me before he died?"

"He died rather suddenly, didn't he?" Bakura smiled, his scar stretching obscenely. "Maybe he didn't have time to pass on such crucial information to his son."

Atem threw me a quick glance. It was true; the former Pharaoh had died very suddenly from an illness no one knew how to explain. Perhaps he had wanted to tell Atem, but hadn't gotten the chance.

"I was the only one to survive. I only got this scar, but I was left there, alone. I hope that those Millennium items were worth it."

Atem sighed. "Take the thief away," he said with a wave of his hand. "We shall deal with him later."

The guards nodded, taking Bakura by his arms. Like the last time he had left, he didn't fight them; instead, keeping his eyes on Atem the entire time.

There was a resounding silence that filled the throne room after the guards left with Bakura, leaving only me, Atem, and Mahad. Mahad opened his mouth to say something, but Atem interrupted him.

"Come, Seth, we have much to discuss."

I nodded, and began to follow Atem out. We were almost out of the throne room, when the voice of Mahad stopped us.

"I hope, my dear Pharaoh, that discussing is all you'll be doing. The gods know, Pharaoh."

Atem didn't turn around, but I could see an involuntary flinch go through his body. "Don't worry, Mahad. The gods have much bigger things to worry about than what I am doing."

"Very well, Pharaoh. But take care. We wouldn't want the High Priest to be harmed, now would we?"

"Atem--"

Atem just shook his head and grabbed my hand, pulling me completely out of the room. We didn't speak until we got back to his chambers.

"Atem, what's going on?" I asked loudly.

"Seth, just..." Atem closed his eyes then opened them again. "Seth, just keep your promise to me, and everything will be fine."

"Of course I will, but--"

Atem interrupted me with a kiss. "Trust me, Seth. Just...trust me. You trust me, don't you?"

I nodded. "Yes, I trust you, but--"

"Then that's all I need. You're all I've ever need, and ever will need." He kissed me gently. "Just know...that if _anything_ were to happen to you....to us...I would die, Seth. Because without you, there is no reason for my heart to beat."

I nodded, startled by his statement.

Why was I in danger? What was this huge secret? What had Atem so worried? So many thoughts swirled around in my mind, but I bit my tongue. Atem had engulfed me in a hug, and I wrapped my arms around him. It seemed for a moment, that I could feel his heart beating in synch with mine.

Because, truly, Atem and I were one person, both completely unwilling--and incapable--of living without the other.

* * *

So...I hope you liked it. I also hope it was worth reading that beastly amount. If you could review, that would be awesome! If someone reviews, it seriously makes my day.

I had THE hardest time writing this chapter. Not sure why. I've had some parts written for ages, but some parts just didn't come too easy. I was practically slamming my head into the keyboard during some parts of this.

I write most of this during my Modern Culture and the Arts class and also my Comparative Religions class. If I just channeled all that work into my actual schoolwork, I'd be pulling perfect grades. My teachers must think I take the best notes ever.


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